Dexter Darden and Taraji P Henson are the latest to join the cast of Peacock’s limited series ‘Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.’ Ordered to series in December, the show is based on the Will Packer-produced podcast chronicling an armed robbery during Muhammad Ali’s 1970 comeback fight in Atlanta.
They join previously cast Kevin Hart, Samuel L. Jackson and Terrence Howard.
The Atlanta-set series, created by Shaye Ogbonna, explores the night of Ali’s victory over Jerry Quarry. That night was a significant moment following Ali’s ban from boxing for refusing military draft entry. The after-party turned into one of the largest armed robberies in U.S. history.
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In the series Darden will portray the late, great boxer, Muhammad Ali and Henson will play Vivian Thomas, Chicken Man’s (Hart) mistress who is said to be “a savvy businesswoman.”
Howard will play the role of Richard “Cadillac” Wheeler, a series regular and a gangster associated with the Council of 12. Jackson portrays Frank Moten, known as “the Black Godfather” and Hart will star as Chicken Man, described as “a hustler trying to level up.”
Ogbonna and Jason Horwitch will serve as showrunners, unraveling the stories of a hustler and an Atlanta detective, one of the city’s first Black police officers. The series aims to shed light on Atlanta’s identity as “the Black Mecca.”
Executive producers include Bryan Smiley, Mike Stein, Will Packer, Sabrina Wind, Conal Byrne, Will Pearson, Carrie Lieberman, Jeff Keating, and Lars Jacobson. Craig Brewer, director of “Dolemite Is My Name,” is set to direct the first two episodes, with Tiffany Brown and Kenny Burns co-executive producing.
The project reunites frequent collaborators Henson and Howard who starred in Empire and Hustle and Flow together. It also relinks them with Craig Brewer, who will direct and executive produce the first two episodes of the series. The pair previously worked with Brewer on Hustle & Flow and Empire.
The project also reunites Taraji P Henson and Kevin Hart who worked on ‘Think Like a Man” franchise together.